this post was submitted on 13 Oct 2025
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Not currently, and that's why you don't see any fully DIY .223/5.56 rifle designs. Making a safe and accurate barrel for a cartridge with a CIP maximum chamber pressure of 430 MPa requires extremely precise tooling that is capable of working very strong steel alloys. Keep in mind that you're also going to need a set of headspace gauges (that's another $100) in order to ensure you have the chamber cut to the correct depth for your bolt. There's a reason why this kind of work is typically only done by professional gunsmiths -- one needs to produce several barrels to amortize the cost of training, tooling, and testing (expect to ruin 2 - 3 barrels while you are getting your process perfected).
I don't know what you're trying to build, but if you're in a place where you can purchase chamber reamers and rifling buttons, I would think just buying a barrel for a fraction of the cost would be a better solution. If you must go the DIY route for some reason, I really think pistol calibers rather than rifle would be a better fit for your knowledge and budget. Pistol calibers open the door to barrel manufacture by electro-chemical machining which is dramatically cheaper than mechanical methods.
Tell me you shouldn't be making rifle barrels without telling me you shouldn't be making rifle barrels.
Seriously, give up this project. You don't appreciate the quality and precision that's required, and trying to make a rifle barrel on the cheap is going to get you seriously injured or killed. Buy a barrel for $100 or make a 9mm.